Seat retainer



June 18, 1929. M. H. ToNcRAYA -sEAT RETAINER n Filed May 2, 1927 ,Lg/.1.A

Iprl/EPITDF? @WQ lvl '/@TTDRNEY- M. bymomh Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES trimm PATENT OFFICE.

MILLARD II. TONCRAY, Or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNOR'To HUDSON MOTOR lCARCOMPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or MICHIGAN.

SEAT RETAINER.

Application filed May 2,

This invention relates to automobile bodies, and more particularly tothe provision of means for retaining a bench seat in an automobile body.

It is an object of the invention to provide a bench seat retainer whichwill hold the seat rigidly against horizontal movements and which may bemanufactured at small cost and assembled readily and conveniently.

It has been common practice to form a retainer for a bench seat in anautomobile body by building an elaborate frame structure upon the floorof the automobile body arranged to support and surround the bench seatwholly or in part. Such a retainer is expensive to build andunnecessarily increases the manufacturing cost of an automobile. Inaccordance with the invention a bench seat is supported at either endwithin an automobile body by separate bearings of a type which may beemployed for pivotally supporting a bucket seat. One type of bearing forthis purpose has a lower portion secured to the floor of the automobilebody and a slotted upper portion providing a horizontal bearing surface.It has been found that such bearings may be employed satisfactorily forretaining a bench seat and prevent horizontal movement thereof. For thispurpose the bench seat may be provided with depending brackets restingin the slotted portion of the bearings and having a projection engaginga rear portion of the bearings.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which,

Fig. 1 is a partial sectional elevational view showing the interior ofan automobile body;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail end and side elevat-ional views of a supportfor a bench seat embodying the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a bracket forming part of theseat support.

In the drawings a bench seat 11 is shown4 supported upon the floor 12within the interior of an automobile body, its rear edge being held by asuitable support 13 having a projection 14 adapted to prevent backwardmovement of the seat 11. The front por- 1927. Serial No. 188,123.

tion of the seat 11 is supported at either side thereof by bearings 15.For this purpose any suitable type of bearing may be employed, but asillustrated the bearing 15 is a type commonly employed for pivotallysupporting a bucket seat. This bearing is formed from al strip ofheavysheet metal by bending to form a triangular shaped lower portion 16which is secured to the floor of the automobile body in any suitablemanner as by bolts 18. The upper portion of the bearing l5 is formedwith spaced upwardly extending side walls or arms 19 providing a slot 20having a shoulder or horizontal bearing surface 21. In accordance withthe invention a bracket 25 is secured in any appropriate manner, as bybolts or screws 26 so as to depend from the bottom of the seat 11 andrest upon bearings 15 and is shaped to provide interitting relation withthe bearings to hold the seat against horizontal movement. Asillustrated, the bracket 25 is provided with a substantially horizontalbearing surface 27 arranged to rest upon the surface 21 ofthe bearing15. A rear projection 28, preferably extending downwardly, is providedon the bracket 25 and is arranged to engage the rear portion of thebearings 15.

In this manner a retainer of simple construction and low cost isprovided which is adapted to hold a bench seat rigidly againstlongitudinal or side horizontal movements while permitting the seat tobe raised and removed at any time. Furthermore, by providing a retainerof this type the manufacturing costs are considerably reduced byeliminating the expensive constructions heretofore in use, andby makingit possible for the manufacturer to provide a large stock of supportingbearings which may be used either for supporting a bench seat or abucket seat. i

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention described ismerely by way of illustration and that the scope of the invention is notthereby narrowed nor is it intended to be limited except as defined bythe appended claim. A l

What I claim is:

In an automobile body, in combination, a bench seat, means forsupporting the rear edge of said seat and for holding the latter againsthorizontal movement in one direction, bearings for supporting' the frontedge pending below said shoulders and engaging of said seat, each ofsaid bearings having a the saine laterally to hold Said Seat againstpair of side Walls and a shoulder' located behorizontal movement in theopposite di- 10 tween said side Walls, and brackets clependrection. f

5 ing from said seat between the side Walls of In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature.

said bearing and resting upon the shoulders thereof, said bracketshaving projections de- MILLARD H. TONCRAY.

